Shakespeare Festival Fun at Seabury Hall

Every year, our Sophomore class puts on a Shakespeare Festival during a school day and invites the entire school. Playgoers rotate around the campus to view the vignettes. The tight schedule allows each viewing group to watch 4-6 scenes out of 17.

Typically, the day begins with a school-wide assembly, and this year's presentation was Exceptional. Will and Billy Shakespeare showed up, both claiming to be the real Shakespeare.

They were put to the test by the Sophomores! A barrage of questions and a "To Be Or Not To Be" recitation contest later, Billy (on the right) ended up winning, by one measly point.

Here are all of the groups.

Aren't the costumes beautiful and the sets terrific?

Each group presented the history of their scene, which required research. Here's our Shakespeare LibGuide that students could use to help them with their fact-finding.

Because Hamlet, Act V, Scene II was performed in the library, it was my favorite. :) (Yes, I know I'm not supposed to say my favorites out loud.)

Hamlet, Act V, Scene II

Reports from playgoers indicate that all 17 groups were interesting to watch!

There was an original game after every reenactment, with edible prizes for audience participants.

Mr. Winham had this to say about this year's festival: "So there's one thing I don't like about the Shakespeare Festival. I can only watch 6 performances out of 17!"

I look forward to the Shakespeare Festival every year! It's a wonderful Seabury tradition. 

A thousand thanks to our English teachers who guide the Sophomores to do their best.

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@mauilibrarian2

Four Ways to Keep Track of Who Uses eReaders

Interested in who uses eReaders? Here are four ways to keep track:

1.  Read reports and surveys of research organizations.

Check out these reports from Pew Research

• A Snapshot of E-Reader and Tablet Owners, January 2012
• The rise of e-reading, April 2012
• Younger Americans' Reading and Library Habits, October 2012

Here's a Harris Poll of 2,056 adults: No Surprise, eReader Use Continues to Grow.

If you're really serious about knowing about the status of the ereader industry, you can fork over $4500.00 (!) for International Data Corporation's Worldwide and U. S. eReader 2012-2016 Forecast which covers statistics for Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Kobo Inc., Pandigital Inc., and Sony.

If you want to pay less ($635.00) check out the eBooks and eReaders: 2012 report by Research and Markets.

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2. Look for infographics on the subject.

Here are a couple of infographics for your review, courtesy of The Digital Reader:

(It would be interesting to know more about the demographics of this survey conducted by spectos.com.)

http://www.the-digital-reader.com/2012/07/27/ebooks-and-ereaders-survey-infographic/#.UKc21eOe-jJ

This infographic uses data from Pew, businesstocommunity.com and Gizmodo.

http://www.the-digital-reader.com/2012/06/01/the-trend-of-e-reading-infographic/#.UKc2deOe-jI

Pinterest is the mother lode of infographics, of course. Here's my favorite board:

Ben Macklin's ebook and ereader stats and charts 

(53 pins as of this writing)

As with all infographics, be sure to read the fine print at the bottom to determine the authoritativeness of the data source(s).

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3. Monitor up-to-the-minute developments and trends via blogs and Twitter.

I recommend adding these sites/blogs to your reader (I use Google Reader);

Pew Internet Libraries
Publishers Weekly's digital content and ebooks section
The Digital Reader
ereadingtrends
Digital Book World
Personanondata
Publishing Trends
The digital publishing section of goodereader.com
Publishing Perspectives

If you're a Twitter user, I've created a short Digital Publishing list. I invite you to subscribe.

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4. If you're interested in how ereading affects libraries, follow these three great resources.

No Shelf Required
eBooks, eReaders, and Libraries on scoop.it, curated by Buffy J. Hamilton
The Digital Shift (Library Journal, School Library Journal)

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And there you have it, four ways to keep up with what's happening with ereaders! This is by no means a comprehensive list. Please comment below if you have suggestions.

To my dear author friend who asked me to do some investigative work on ereaders, I hope this helps! The state of the digital publishing industry is a subject in which I'm keenly interested. I learned a lot writing this article!

Happy reading!

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@castlelibrary

(Cross-posted in my mauilibrarian2 in Olinda blog)

What Are You Afraid Of? (And the Books to Match)

This is horrifying! -- The things people are afraid of and the books to match.

Click on the image, if you dare!

Source: litreactor.com via Linda on Pinterest

What are you afraid of?

 (◕‿◕✿) @castlelibrary

Maximum Ride -- We Have the Whole Series!

We have the whole series!

Source: Uploaded by user via Madison on Pinterest

What else should we get?

(◕‿◕✿) @castlelibrary

Books and Reading + Pinterest = FUN (and Great Info)!

Time, there's just not enough of it to keep this blog as vibrant as I would like it to be.

... Enter Pinterest to my rescue!

I love Pinterest! Not necessarily for pinning to my own boards (I just started an account, and I don't spend time scouring the Internet for stuff to put on my boards, as you can see), but I enjoy looking at what other people love enough to pin and share.

[ Nerdy side note to students: Do a Google search and add the word Pinterest to your search, and you'll be amazed at the infographic-like info that you'll find for your research project.]

S-o-o-o-o-o, for the next little while, I'll be sharing with our students (and teachers and other interested learners) eye-pleasing pins I find on Pinterest that celebrate books and reading. It's a fun, social way to spread the reading love, that's QUICK.

Here's the inaugural pin.

Source: bookshelfporn.com via Genevieve on Pinterest

Isn't it the coolest? Check out Home Office with an Overhead Library for the skinny on this architectural marvel created by designer Travis Price for National Geographic's Wade Davis.

Thanks for the pin, Genevieve!

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Do you have any cool photos or graphics that celebrate books and reading? (No, they need not be from Pinterest.)  Send them my way and I'll post them for all to enjoy.

Happy reading,

Ms. Lindsay
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 @castlelibrary

A Price Comparison Google Custom Search Engine for Librarians and Other Thrifty Book Buyers

I purchase books for our students from three vendors: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Books-A-Million.

Yes, I'm thrifty. I want my money's worth! So comparing book prices is a must. And there is no doubt about it: finding the best price for each individual book is time-consuming. 

An engine that searches all three vendors simultaneously? -- now wouldn't that be a fantastic timesaver! I dismiss the thought. Too hard to build, I guess.

Enter the folks at howtogeek.com, with a clear, detailed how-to article to create your own Google custom search engine. I decide to try it.

Who knew it would be so easy?





Go ahead, try it! Tip: For best results, add "price" or "cost" to your query.

Here's a short, easy-to-remember tinyurl link to the search engine in a separate window.

http://tinyurl.com/3bookvendors

You can also

     •Add the Book Price Comparison custom search engine to your Google homepage, or

•Add this search engine to your blog or webpage with color and size customization

Feel free to use this Book Price Comparison custom search engine in the format that best fits your needs. And yes, you might want to create your own, to include your favorite vendors.

Happy book buying!

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@mauilibrarian2

P. S. If you want to create a Google Custom Search for a wiki, here's a nice tutorial from mediawiki.org.

10/07/12 Update: Just found Shoptimate, a Google Chrome extension that pops up anywhere you're shopping, and displays 3 best prices. Nice!

Just Announced: The 2012 Hugo Awards, for the Best in Science Fiction

http://www.sfwa.org/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/hugologo.jpg

The Hugo Awards have been revealed! They've been presented since 1955 and are ver-r-r-y prestigious!

This GalleyCat article points to information on the winners,

Read the Best Science Fiction of the Year

including complete text for

Best Novella -  The Man Who Bridged the Mist by Kij Johnson


Best Novelette - Six Months, Three Days by Charlie Jane Anders


Best Short Story - The Paper Menagerie by Ken Liu (see the article to download the PDF)

Nice!

I'll be ordering the Best Novel: Jo Walton's  Among Others, which also won the 2011 Nebula Award.

You can find out about the history of the Hugo Awards here and FAQs here. Got a question about the Hugos? Go here.

Interesting news note: The live streaming of the Awards was abruptly terminated by a copyright enforcement robot! Read about it from io9.com here!

Happy reading!

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@mauilibrarian2

Love this '101 Summer Reading Top Picks' Infographic!

Wish I had this before school let out, but it definitely works for any time. I plan to post it in our library in the fall. ( This Summer )

And, of course, I'll be ordering the titles we don't have.

Via Teach.com and USC Rossier Online

Get the embed code for this chart at Summer Reading Flowchart: What Should You Read on Your Break?

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@mauilibrarian2

For Fervent-About-Summer-Reading Book Lovers Who Don't Tweet

This Twitter Stream is for Summer Reading aficionados who aren't on Twitter, so they can
        Watch
->Join the Conversation About Summer Reading <-
sponsored by the New York Times
from a safe vantage point. :)





For those who are thinking of joining Twitter, here's a great Beginner's Guide to Twitter for Non-Techies, by Michael Hyatt.


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@mauilibrarian2

Children's Literature Event on Maui, with Author Pam Muñoz Ryan, June 20

This is a great event for anyone who loves children's books!

June 20, 5:00-7:00pm
Baldwin High School Library
FREE!

See you there!

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@mauilibrarian2

mauilibrarian2's article pick: Teen Book Finder App now Available in the App Store

Here's a cool book-browsing tool, described by Kathy Ishizuka, Digital Shift, School Library Journal:

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Teen Book Finder App now Available in the App Store:
(click on link above to view original post)

The ‘first of its kind’ app enables users to discover titles from the lists and awards of the Young Adult Library Services Association

A tool designed to enable access to the best literature for teens is now available for Apple devices. A project of YALSA (the Young Adult Library Services Association), the Teen Book Finder lets users discover titles from the past three years of the organization’s lists and awards, all from their iPod Touch, iPhone, or iPad.
The app, just out of beta, was among a select group of public policy-related tools demoed at the Congressional Internet Caucus Technology Exhibition January 25 in Washington, DC. It’s the first such tool of its kind, according to Stephanie Kuenn, YALSA’s Web Services Manager and project lead on the app. “There really weren’t great ways for people to find books for teens on a smartphone.”

Designed for use by teens, librarians, parents, and teachers, the app enables access to quality reads, searchable by author, title, award/list, year, and genre. All books selected for the Teens’ Top Ten are included, and a randomly generated list of books will refresh daily on the home page for serendipitous discovery. A Find It! Button, powered by the OCLC WorldCat Search API, will display the nearest library where users can pick up the book.
You can also create a list of favorites on the Teen Book Finder and share what you found via Twitter or Facebook.

The app was funded with a grant from the Dollar General Literacy Foundation. Its creation was a partnership between YALSA, which handled the back-end data, and Ora Interactive, a Chicago-based developer.

An Android version of the app is planned for a later 2012 release.

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@mauilibrarian2

The Birth of a Book [Video] -- Will this be just a memory? I hope not ...

Lovely two-minute video of how a paper book is made, by talented director Glen Milner (@glen_milner)



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@mauilibrarian2

e-Book Nation: An Eye-Opening Infographic on ereaders, from Pew

What an Eye-Opener!

This infographic is based on information gathered from the Pew Research Center's Internet and American Life Project. Pew is a non-partisan "fact tank".





Brought to you by: OnlineUniversities.com


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@mauilibrarian2

We're Having a Bookfair!

No doubt about it -- we sorely miss having a bookstore close by. So when I learned from an esteemed colleague that Barnes and Noble does bookfairs at schools, I called up the Lahaina branch right away.

Sooo, mark your calendars!

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@mauilibrarian2

About Harry Bernstein and The Invisible Wall: A Love Story That Broke Barriers

The Invisible Wall: A Love Story that Broke Barriers is a memoir written when author Harry Bernstein was 93. Ordering!

The book chronicles the early life of the author growing up Jewish in an English mill town.

Here's a great 60 Minutes short interview with the author about the book: Literary Sensation at 96? and a nice NY Times Review: Recalling a Time When a Street Divided Two Worlds.

Following The Invisible Wall came:

The Dream: A Memoir, a continuation of the author's life,

and 

The Golden Willow: The Story of a Lifetime of Love about the author's 67-year marriage to the former Ruby Umflat.

Ordering those two too!

Check out this great article written on Bernstein's 100th birthday: Bruce Frankel: Author Harry Bernstein Celebrates 100th Birthday and Closes in on Fourth Book

Harry Bernstein died on June 4, 2011 at the age of 101. This New York Times article does a great job of describing Harry's life: Harry Bernstein, Writer Who Gained Fame at 96, Dies at 101

And this article in the Telegraph tells more about the author: Harry Bernstein 

The fourth book Bernstein wrote, a fictional memoir titled What Happened to Rose about his sister, will be published in 2012 in Italy.

Not sure if this means if the book will be written in Italian. If so, I hope there will be a version in English too!

Wishing for you (and me) time to read for fun, every day!
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@mauilibrarian2

Resources for Creating (or Entering) a Kids Book Trailer Contest

Book trailers are fun to make!

A reader asked for help creating a book trailer contest for kids. My best advice is to check out examples, for ideas.

Sample contests:

• Authors Promoting Authors: Trailer to the Stars Book Video Contest
• Book Trailer Contest 2012 - Libraries Online
• HelenKay Dimon - Booktrailer Contest
• Jennifer L. Armentrout's Blog - Obsidian Book Trailer Contest
• Trailer MASH! Teen Book Trailer Contest
• Books in Sync - Book Cover Contest
• The Grendel's Shadow Book Trailer Contest | Andrew Mayne {magic}
• Melville House Books - THE ULTIMATE DUEL BOOK TRAILER CONTEST
• Teen Booktrailer Contest - Win a NOOK COLOR! | San Jose Public Library
• YALSA Nonfiction and Morris Book Trailer Contest

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And here are some solid how-to book trailer sites, for entrants:

• Book Trailers for Readers, with some nice tips, by Teacher Librarian Michelle Harclerode
• How to Make a Book Trailer - Prezi, also by Michelle Harclerode
• How To Create a Book Trailer | The Creative Penn

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 Ready to start creating that award-winning book trailer and want to be sure you get it right? I highly recommend you watch this terrific tutorial created by Wanda Richards Seaman:

Best of luck to the contest creators and to the student entrants too!

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@mauilibrarian2

Mother Lode List of 2011 Reading Lists and Awards, for Middle School Readers!

A BIG

M • A • H • A • L • O

to Susan Thomsen of Chicken Spaghetti (what a great name for a blog) for this fantastic list of lists and awards!

(which I was thrilled to tweet)

Mother Lode Middle School Reading List! «2011 Best Children's Books» bit.ly/xEpGF1 #engchat

— Castle Library (@castlelibrary2) January 24, 2012

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@mauilibrarian2

The Joy of Paper Books ~ What do YOU think?

Thanks to Julie Greller (aka @cybrarian77) for finding this animation GEM created by Type Books, a bookstore in Canada.





Read Julie's article: Nothing Quite Like a Real Book

Yes, I agree with Julie!

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What do YOU think?

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@mauilibrarian2